Method of manufacturing stockings on footers



Nov. .24, 1942.

J. 1.. SUTCLlFFE METHODlOF MANUFACTURING STOCKINGS 0N FOOTERS .Fild June 22, 1942 INVENTOR Jaseph L. Sufc'l/ffe Patented Nov. 24, 1942 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING STOCKINGS ON FOOTERS Joseph L. Sutcliffe, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application June 22, 1942, Serial No. 447,916

4 Claims.

My invention relates to hosiery and relates particularly to a method of knitting a stocking blank on a single machine known as a footer.

Heretofore, full fashioned stockings of the type worn by women, such as full length stockings have been made on two machines, the leg being knitted on a machine commonly called a logger, and the foot completed on a machine known as a footer. The single unit full fashion knitting machines make both the leg and foot in one continuous operation, and such machines supplanted the footers because many loggers have been converted tosingle unit full fashion knitting machine, hence, the present object of the invention is to convert footers into a combined leggers and footers; that is to say, a leg and a foot can be made on a footer fiat knitting machine.

Footers are not being used where legger flat machines have been converted into single unit machines which means hundreds of footers representing thousands of dollars of investment are remaining idle and occupy valuable floor space. My invention will put these footers in operation again.

In the customary manufacture of full-fashion stockings approximately forty-one (41) narrowing operations occur which is made up of 36 leg I narrowings and 5 flare narrowings and each of the narrowing operations result in slowing the speed of the machine. Therefore, in my invention where the narrowings are reduced to approximately 10 or less in number the machine produces a greater quantity of stockings for a given period of time because of the fact that less time is lost in performing the narrowing operations.

Full fashion stockings made of rayon, readily may be used with my invention because rayon does not return to its shape like nylon or silk.

With my invention, rayon full fashion hosiery will recover their original shape and they will not become baggy from the welt to the leg narrowing.

I place bridges on the footer machines so that the welt bars ride thereon and I replace the transfer points with welt hooks.

One hook on each draw 01f strap and the hook is attached to the welt bar to draw off the fabric as it is being knitted. A widening unit is installed on the footer to rack back or rack out the carriers and the narrowing machine to make the heel portion wider, in the same manner as single unit full fashioned stocks are made.

It is an object of my invention to provide a method for knitting a full fashion hosiery blank on a footer full fashioned flat machine having a ten inch head.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of knitting full fashion stocking which stocking when finished presents an ornamental effect.

Another object of my invention is to provide a full fashion stocking which has a suitable holding member formed on the stocking which will not result in runs in the stocking at the place where the garter is customarily placed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a full fashion stocking by the use of a single machine of the footer type which will not have many narrowing operations.

ther objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, and wherein the production per machine is mate rially increased.

With the above and related objects in View,

my invention consists in the details of construction and the steps in the process of manufacturing stocking of the full. fashion type which will hereinafter be more fully described and which will be more readily understood when the description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a leg blank as made on a footer single unit machine.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a full fashion stocking embodying my invention wherein a V-shaped mesh fabric is sewed to the upper portion of the leg blank.

Referring now in detail to my invention, a footer flat knitting machine (not shown) which has a ten (10) inch head thereon, enables a stocking leg blank, generally designated as A, to be knitted thereon which has a circumference of ten (10) inches at the extreme width.

I place bridges on the footer machine and have the transfer points replaced with welt hooks. The above is one of the alterations which I make in the footer machine. I then take the welt carrier and lock it in position. The loose course is run one course. The welt bars are placed in the machine and hooked in position. The footer machine is started and the machine is operated until the desired length of the Welt is knitted. The welt is then turned and then the after welt is knitted to the desired length of the after Welt.

The Welt carrier is taken out and the main carrier is then put in position and the friction is locked. During the knitting no narrowings is knitted in the flare and the knitting of the leg blank is continued until the circumference of the leg becomes ten inches or less when not more than 10 narrowings are placed in the leg blank. The machine is continued to run to the splicing heel portion when the splicing carriers are placed in operable position on the machine and the friction locked. The rocker is put in operation on the machine. The machine is set for the widening operation and when the widening operation is finished, the rocker is set for the gusset narrowing. After the gusset narrowing is run through the stocking from the foot cradle to the toe, the machine carriers are changed for the operation on the toe by taking the rocker off and changing the slacker. The machine is then run the required number of courses.

If a ring toe, which is a toe made of reinforcing thread, is desired, the carriers are changed after running the toe a half inch or more, but if a ring toe is not desired, then the toe is completed using the carriers which are in position, It should be apparent from the aforementioned description that the footer has made a single full fashion stocking blank having a combined leg and foot blank.

In order to complete the stocking a required mesh of general V form, generally designated as B, is either knitted or cut from some suitable fabric, and then it is seamed from the welt to the portion of the leg where the circumference of the leg is ten (10) inches or less, which is the width of the head. This V-shaped mesh provides an ornamental appearance for the stocking and it gives the desired configuration whereby the stocking conforms to the shape of the leg.

Adjacent the top of the V mesh portion and joining the upper edges of the leg blank adjacent the welt of the full fashion stocking, is a strip of knitted or woven fabric, generally designated as C, whose edges are sewed to a portion of the edges of the main leg blank, and to this strip may be attached any hose garter.

It is known that many runs are started by the tensions placed on the welt by hooks of the garter and my invention eliminates any run trouble. The reduced number of narrowing operations which has about ten (10) in number increase the speed of operation of the machine because it is known that the more narrowing operations, which take steps, then the reduced production of the machine. It is also known that there is a great loss of production when the fixer or knitter stops the machine to fix narrowing holes.

Very frequently a run will start in the leg narleg narrowing. The more narrowings taken out the better for the wearer of the stocking.

The customary legger head is 14 inches, so that there is 4 inches to be made up at the welt portion of the stocking, and the V-shaped wedge may be of lace, linen, cotton, rayon, nylon, or any other type of yarn.

My invention provides more freedom at the knee portion of the wearer by giving a greater degree of strength, and strength is needed around the knee so that when the person stoops the stocking will not break out or run from the welt to the foot as usually is the case when the welt is attached to garter, when corsets are worn and the garters are hooked to the hose.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail the invention is illustrative and the invention is defined by the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of knitting a full fashion stocking blank on a footer having a ten (10) inch head, comprising the steps of knitting the leg blank to a point where the circumference is less than ten (10) inches, narrowing the leg blank to conform with the shape of the leg, knitting the ankle and foot portion on said machine, and sewing a. V-shaped section to the ends of the stocking starting from the welt to the point where the circumference is less than 16 inches in circumference, and finishing the sewing the leg and foot portions to complete said stocking.

2. A method of knitting a full fashion stocking blank on a footer flat machine having a ten (10) inch head comprising the steps of knitting rayon thread to a point where the circumference is less than ten (10) inches on the leg blank, narrowing the leg blank to conform to the shape of the leg, knitting the ankle and foot portions on said machine, joining the toe ends of the leg blank, joining by looping the heel ends, joining by seaming the ankle portions of the leg blank, inserting a V-shaped section to the ends of the leg blank starting from the welt to a point Where the circumference of the leg blank is less than ten (10) inches in circumference.

3. My invention as set forth in claim 2 including a garter supporting portion of fabric connected to the edges of the leg blank adjacent the top or welt portion of the stocking.

4. A method of knitting a full fashion stocking blank on a footer flat machine having a ten 10) inch head, comprising the steps of knitting leg blank to a point where the circumference is less than 10 inches, narrowing the leg blank to conform ,to the shape of the leg, knitting the ankle and foot blank portions as a continuous operation of said leg blank, and sewing a V- shaped section to the ends of the stocking commencing at the welt and extending to a portion where the circumference of the leg blank is less than 10 inches in circumference.

JOSEPH L. SUTCLIFFE. 

